I am an teacher. I’ve been an educator for almost 30 years now. I decided from a very early age that I was going to be a teacher. There have never been any doubts, and for the most part, I never really considered that I should be anywhere else.
My decision was made at the ripe old age of 7. I was a second grader in Windsor Oaks Elementary in Virginia Beach City Public Schools and I was in Mrs. Jordan’s second grade reading class. Now, I thought the world revolved around this teacher. She was old (at least 25!), wise and kind. She made me feel like I could do just about anything, and through her I developed a love of learning. She fostered a confidence and focus that formed the core of the student and teacher I would become. (Disclaimer- Since my parents will probably read this, I will admit that I might not have been the most dedicated and hard working student back then, but this is my retelling, so we are going with my version of the truth!)
Yes, I was one of those kids who played “teacher” whenever I could. When I was in 3rd grade, my family lived in Bermuda. Our house was right next door to the elementary school, and I spent much of my free time roaming the halls! (The halls were outside, so it isn’t as bad as it sounds!) I loved being able to help teachers do any task they could think of, and went from door to door offering my enthusiastic services. Those services were rewarded by having direct access to all the extra mimeographed purple worksheets! Each June, I’d do some dumpster diving to find old workbooks and worksheets to stock my own home school. My friends, brother, pets and stuffed animals spent a lot of time in my “classroom,” and I relished the role of teacher!
Throughout my school years, my intention to become a teacher just like Mrs. Jordan never waivered. I graduated Longwood College (now a University!) and began my teaching career in a small town in Virginia. My first class had 12 second grade students! After 3 years teaching in a teeny tiny school district, I moved to a larger system near Washington D.C.
This is where my love of technology bloomed. I was teaching 3rd grade and had a wonderful teaching partner who loved to play with new technologies. She and I set up the first computer lab with those old clunky Apple IIGS (this was back in 1994!) We decided on which software to purchase, and would take turns loading the computers each morning and loading programs from the floppy discs. It was quite a process!
Our first integration project was called Zelda’s Zany Zoo. 3rd graders had to research an endangered animal, create a 3D model of a zoo enclosure for it, and create a visual display on an ancient program call HyperStudio. These “hyperdecks” were used to make presentations to convince a “city council” to accept the animal into the zoo. (Remembering this now, we were definitely ahead of our time!) Our project caught the attention of some bigwigs in the system, and we were asked to present our lesson and ideas on the county’s televised professional development show. This was my first taste of designing, developing and sharing a major instructional project. I enjoyed the process so much, that I knew that presenting and training were going to be a big part of my future.
Over the years, I have continued to explore ways to enhance instruction through the implementation of technology. I have found that tech tools can be used to engage and excited learners of all ages. I’ve had some great administrators who have encouraged me to build on my passions and share the excitement. For the past 25 years, I have been creating and sharing training sessions for a huge variety of educational best practices.
I have loved being a classroom teacher, and I never really wanted to do anything else. Because I’ve had so many supportive administrators who have encouraged me to broaden my audience, I’ve become more than just a teacher. I am an instructional designer. I am a public speaker, a presenter, and a trainer. I am an innovative technology specialist. While I can very proudly claim to have successfully completed 30 years as a teacher, I can even more proudly claim that I have also completed 30 years as an educator who is so much more than just a teacher!
More than a Teacher 